Entrepreneurs to access leading edge photonic design platform via partnership

Optiwave Systems Inc. and CMC Microsystems, manager of Canada’s National Design Network (CNDN), announced an expanded technology sharing collaboration, bringing advanced photonics design platforms to Canadian entrepreneurs and start-ups. CMC Microsystems will now offer the entire suite of Optiwave’s photonics design tools to participants in CMC’s VIE Program – the Virtual Incubator Environment. This is in addition to Optiwave tools already being available to researchers and academics in CNDN. 

Specifically designed for start-ups in Canada, the VIE program provides access to state-of-the-art tools for design and simulation at extremely competitive rates and is aligned with CMC’s mission of lowering barriers to technology adoption. Adding Montreal-based Optiwave to VIE is an important step to give entrepreneurs and start-ups access to the most powerful tools on the market to drive innovation.

“Entrepreneurs and start-ups need access to the best tools to develop and perfect their ideas” said Gordon Harling, president and CEO of CMC Microsystems. “The Optiwave design platform is truly at the leading edge and will be a huge boost for innovators in photonic nanotechnology to shorten their time-to-market while improving quality.”

“CMC is an extremely valuable collaborator to Optiwave,” said Optiwave CEO Jan Jakubczyk. “We have built an excellent relationship with CMC to make our tools available to researchers and academics and are excited to support emerging entrepreneurs and start-ups in the photonics industry through this agreement.”

Photonics technology is widely used in almost all modern technology infrastructure, where it delivers many essential functions ranging from data transmission to sensing. With widespread integration between different systems across applications, the photonics industry is well-positioned for explosive growth.

Through the collaboration with CMC, Optiwave can support more entrepreneurs and start-ups with limited resources who are interested in Optiwave’s software. Optiwave believes that this can solidify their market share, and leading role in the photonics design industry.

For Harling, this agreement with Optiwave not only fits perfectly with CMC’s core mission of lowering barriers to technology adoption, but also shows how CMC and its partners contribute to the Canadian economy. “Canada is recognized as a world leader in photonics technology. We are proud to partner with Optiwave – a Canadian firm – to further develop the growing photonics industry here and help Canada build a stronger, more resilient economy Harling concluded.

For further information or to participate in the VIE program and receive a discounted price version of Optiwave, please visit www.cmc.ca or contact sales@cmc.ca.